Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public Service and the Common Good

Life-long conversations on neighborhoods, housing and gentrification

Community-engaged learning claims many student benefits like making learning relevant by bridging theory and practice, promoting openness to multiple perspectives, and fostering dispositions to further community involvement. As I reflect on my community-engaged learning in college over three decades ago, one measure of that learning’s value sticks with me — enduring questions that I’ve considered for a lifetime since. – David Donahue

Applying ‘Change the World From Here to Washington, D.C.

s I walked into my supervisor’s office on my first day to partake in what would be one of many “huddles” (office lingo for team and one-on-one check-ins), I glanced across her desk to see a sticky note posted on her computer screen which read, “Every day counts!”- Katherine Pantangco

Who’s Leo?

There’s a name that graces our door and the suite of offices located in Masonic #103 and we mention this name dozens of times a day – it’s listed on every brochure, rack card and report that cross our desks. Our young students never had the chance to meet this person and even now rarely find faculty and staff that knew and worked with the Center’s namesake.

Random acts of kindness

There’s a quote I often think of that’s often used when tragic events happen in the world – the Boko Haram kidnapping, the Paris attack, Newtown shooting, Boston bombing, Colorado shootings, Kenya attack and countless others. – Rebecca McDowell

Handful Players + Engage San Francisco = a Community Partnership with Mutually Shared Goals

Earlier this month, Ryan Marchand, Artistic Director of Handful Players visited our offices and explained how he became involved with Handful Players –one of Engage San Francisco’s inaugural Community Engagement Grantees. Ryan describes the relationship between the youth theatre group and the University of San Francisco’s place base initiative with the Western Addition.

Chris Matthews Visiting Professor Inspires Millennials

Lauren Feuerborn Master of Public Affairs candidate’17 At the beginning of the semester in Proseminar of American Politics, our professor told us that Chris Matthews of MSNBC’s HARDBALL would be guest lecturing sometime in November. As time got closer the arrival of Matthews expanded to a reception, a breakfast event and two lectures. We were…

Chris Matthews, Visiting Professor in the Masters of Public Affairs program returns to USF campus

Chris Matthews, host of MSNBC’s daily news commentary series HARDBALL, political journalist and author, is also “an aspiring Professor in the Masters of Public Affairs program.” – Brian Weiner

Diving into our Nation’s Capitol

As a Media Studies major, I had always been interested in the news, but desired a deeper understanding of political processes. When I heard about USF in DC, I jumped at the opportunity to participate to broaden the scope of my education at USF. Through the program, I gained experience and critical insight to our political system through working, studying and living in our nation’s capitol. – Presley Attardo